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Long-Distance Moving: What Should Your Move Cost?

Name: USMPO long-distance moving price benchmarks
Creator: United States Moving Protection Organization
License: https://usmpo.org/privacy-policy/

Find out what your move should cost based on shipment size, distance, move date and services — using U.S. Moving Protection pricing data.

Audited benchmarksQuoted prices checked against what was finally billed
Binding estimatesA price your mover is held to
No lead brokeringYour details are never sold

Check Your Price

Free benchmark

A reference benchmark from published filings, not a quote. USMPO does not publish a long-distance benchmark below $2,800.

500+Carriers tracked in the USMPO database

110%The most a mover can demand before unloading

60¢/lbWhat you are covered for by default

$0Cost to consumers

Long-distance moving in brief

What it costs: Most long-distance moves cost between $2,800 and $12,000.A 2-bedroom home moving 1,000–1,500 miles, self-packed and off-peak, benchmarks at $4,200–$5,600. Studios on short interstate hops sit near the bottom of that range; four-bedroom coast-to-coast moves with full packing pass the top of it.
What drives the price: Shipment weight decides 40–55% of a long-distance moving bill, distance 20–30%, and the move date up to 18%.Two households in the same floor plan can differ by 2,000 lbs, which is why a quote given without an in-home or video survey is a guess rather than a price.
How far ahead to book: Eight weeks is a comfortable runway for booking a long-distance mover, and four is workable.Inside two weeks in June or July you take whoever still has a truck free, which is the worst position from which to negotiate. Off-peak, three to four weeks is enough to survey with three carriers and compare properly.
How long delivery takes: Carriers quote a delivery spread rather than a date — typically 3–6 days under 1,000 miles and 7–14 days coast to coast.Your goods usually share a trailer with other shipments, and the spread is what lets the carrier consolidate. A guaranteed date is available on most tariffs and costs roughly 10–25% more.
Carrier, broker or neither: A moving broker does not own trucks; it resells your move to whichever carrier accepts the load.⁵That is why the company you signed with and the crew that turns up often have no relationship. Brokers are legal and federally registered — ask which authority they hold, and get it in writing.
How to check a mover: Every interstate mover's USDOT number, legal name, authority type and insurance are public on the FMCSA SAFER register.¹²Four minutes of checking eliminates most of the risk. Confirm the legal name matches the company that quoted you, and that the authority is carrier rather than broker if they claimed to be a carrier.
The rule that protects you: On a non-binding estimate a mover may not demand more than 110% of the estimated charges before unloading your goods.⁴Pay up to that and the carrier must release your shipment; anything beyond it is billed after delivery. A mover holding goods on the truck for more is acting outside the rule.
What you are covered for by default: Interstate moves include liability of just 60 cents per pound per article unless you buy full value protection.⁷A 40-lb television pays out $24 under it, whatever it cost. Full value protection runs about 1–2% of your declared value, less if you take a deductible.
The single biggest saving: Moving outside late June to early August is the largest saving most households can make.Peak season carries a 12–18% premium over the same move in autumn. Mid-month and mid-week are cheaper again, because month-end is when leases turn over.

Prices are USMPO benchmarks derived from carrier tariff filings, not quotes. Rules cited here come from the federal household-goods regulations at 49 CFR Part 375 and the statutes beneath them — every one is listed in Sources. Each point is expanded in the sections below.

The numbers

What a long-distance move actually costs

Long distance moving costs depend primarily on how much you're moving, how far it's going, when you move, and which services you need. USMPO pricing data shows what comparable moves have actually cost, giving you an independent benchmark to evaluate your moving quotes.

Interstate household goods are priced per pound over a mileage band, plus fuel, packing and accessorial charges — a structure set by federal rule rather than by the salesperson quoting you.¹ The ranges below cover moves of 250 miles or more. They are a reference, not a quote.

Benchmark cost by distance band

2-bedroom, 5,000 lbs, self-pack, off-peak. Midpoint of the USMPO benchmark range.

Per-pound rates fall as distance rises, so the cost curve flattens: doubling 1,000 miles to 2,000 adds roughly 40%, not 100%.

Price index by move month

100 = the annual median for an identical move. Peak season in gold.

Off-peak Peak season

Late June through early August carries a 12–18% premium. The same move in late September or October is the single largest saving most households can make.

Typical price range by home size and distance

Full-service carrier, self-pack, 20th–80th percentile of audited filings. Add 18–24% for full packing.

Check your own route →

Typical long-distance moving price ranges by home size and distance band, in US dollars.
Home size	250–500 mi	500–1,000 mi	1,000–1,500 mi	1,500–2,500 mi	2,500+ mi
Studio1,800 lbs	$2,800 – $3,300	$2,950 – $3,600	$3,200 – $4,000	$3,500 – $4,400	$3,900 – $4,900
1 bedroom3,000 lbs	$2,900 – $3,600	$3,200 – $4,100	$3,600 – $4,700	$4,050 – $5,300	$4,600 – $6,000
2 bedrooms5,000 lbs	$3,100 – $4,000	$3,600 – $4,700	$4,200 – $5,600	$4,900 – $6,500	$5,600 – $7,400
3 bedrooms7,500 lbs	$3,600 – $4,800	$4,300 – $5,800	$5,200 – $7,000	$6,100 – $8,300	$7,100 – $9,600
4+ bedrooms10,000 lbs	$4,200 – $5,700	$5,100 – $7,000	$6,300 – $8,600	$7,500 – $10,200	$8,800 – $11,900

Ranges exclude auto transport ($900–$1,700 per vehicle), storage-in-transit ($150–$400 per month) and third-party services such as crating. USMPO does not publish a long-distance benchmark below $2,800.

How the tariff arithmetic works

A legitimate interstate estimate is not a lump sum a salesperson invents. It is built from four published components, and any carrier should be able to show you each one:

Linehaul. Shipment weight multiplied by a rate per 100 pounds for your mileage band. The rate steps down as distance rises, which is why a 2,000-mile move does not cost twice a 1,000-mile move.
Fuel surcharge. A published percentage of the linehaul, reset monthly against the FMCSA index. It belongs on the estimate as its own line.
Accessorials. Packing, shuttle, long carry, stairs, appliance servicing, crating. Each has a tariff rate; none should appear for the first time on delivery day.
Valuation. Released value at 60¢ per pound is free and automatic. Full value protection is priced against your declared value.

A 5,000 lb shipment moving 1,200 miles benchmarks at $4,200–$5,600 self-pack. If a quote for that move arrives at $1,900, the arithmetic does not work at any published tariff — and the difference will be found on delivery day.

How we know

Where this pricing data comes from

The benchmark on this page is not a survey, a scrape or an industry average. It comes from the carriers USMPO has audited into its network, who share what they quoted and what they finally billed on the bill of lading. That is what makes a route-level benchmark possible: instead of ringing round for quotes to work out what is normal, you can look at what the same move actually cost when it was facilitated for someone else.

1
Start from the federal register
Our algorithm pulls carriers from the FMCSA database — every company holding active interstate operating authority.¹²
2
Cross-reference the complaint record
Those carriers are cross-referenced against BBB complaint data, which screens on record rather than on marketing.
3
Hand-select and audit
Eligible carriers are then hand-selected and audited in person. This is the step that cannot be automated, and it is why the audited network is a small subset of the 500+ carriers in our database rather than all of them.
4
Audited carriers become data partners
Carriers admitted to the network enter a data exchange agreement: they share what they quoted and what they finally billed, and in return they get sight of moves on the USMPO loadboard that match routes they already run. That exchange is what lets us publish what moves actually cost rather than what movers advertise — and it is why nobody has to buy your details for the benchmark to exist.

What the audit checks

Quoted price against the bill of lading. We verify that the price a carrier quotes lines up with the price it finally bills. A carrier whose estimates do not hold does not stay in the network.
That they own their trucks. A company with its own equipment is performing your move, not reselling it to whoever accepts the load.
Uniformed crews. The crew that arrives should be the carrier's own people, identifiable as such.
An interview with the owner. We speak to the people who run the company, not a sales desk.
The operation itself. We look at the premises and how the business actually runs, including whether its sales and marketing practices are sound.

What that means for your quote

You get a reference point that used to be impossible to obtain: what this route has actually cost, before any mover gives you a number.

Check your route →

Anatomy of a quote

The nine things that move your price

Each factor below shows its typical share of the final invoice and how far it can swing. The two you control outright — date and packing — are also two of the largest.

Shipment size

Priced per pound or per cubic foot. Two households in the same floor plan can differ by 2,000 lbs, which is why an in-home or video survey beats a phone estimate in either unit.

Swing: ±$1,400

Mileage band

Rates step down as distance rises. A move that crosses into the next band can cost less per pound than a shorter one.

Swing: ±$900

Move date

Peak season and month-end both add premiums. Mid-month, mid-week, off-peak is the cheapest slot on the calendar.

Swing: ±$800

Packing service

Full packing is billed by labor and materials. Packing everything but the fragile items yourself captures most of the saving.

Swing: +$700–1,900

Access at both ends

Long carries, stairs above the third floor, elevators and narrow streets requiring a shuttle are all billed as accessorials.

Swing: +$150–950

Fuel surcharge

A published percentage of the linehaul, reset monthly. It belongs on the estimate as a line item, not as a surprise.

Swing: ±$300

Valuation coverage

Free liability is 60¢ per pound. Full-value protection is priced against your declared value and any deductible you choose.

Swing: +$0–800

Delivery window

A guaranteed delivery date carries a premium. A wider spread lets the carrier consolidate your goods and lowers the rate.

Swing: ±$400

Extra services

Crating, appliance disconnection, storage-in-transit and auto transport are separate contracts with their own rates.

Swing: +$0–2,400

How your shipment is measured

Cubic feet vs. weight

Every long-distance estimate rests on one measurement of your shipment, and it is quoted either in cubic feet or in pounds. Neither unit is dishonest in itself. What decides whether you can trust the number is whether it was written down in a form you can check — an itemized inventory, or a certified scale ticket. A figure with neither behind it is a guess in any unit.

What you can check before signing

Cubic feet

The space your goods occupy in the trailer. Measured with a tape, itemized on an inventory, and confirmable by you before you sign — provided an inventory actually exists.

How it is set: A tape measure and an item-by-item inventory taken at your home.
When you know it: At the estimate, before you sign anything.
Who can check it: You can, if the inventory lists every item and its measurement.
How it can change: Only if you add or remove items from the inventory.
What it prices: The trailer space the carrier is actually selling you.
How it goes wrong: A single cubic-foot figure with no itemized list behind it. There is nothing to check, and nothing stopping it being revised upward on move day.

A cubic foot is a cubic foot in every warehouse in the country. The unit is sound; the inventory is what makes a quote in that unit checkable.

What a third party can verify after

Weight

Pounds on a certified scale. It is the basis of the federal tariff, and a weigh station is an independent third party — but nobody knows the figure at the moment you are quoted.

How it is set: Estimated from a survey, then confirmed on a certified scale after loading.
When you know it: After pickup, when the scale ticket comes back.
Who can check it: A certified weigh station, independently of the carrier. You may require a reweigh.
How it can change: A reweigh above the estimated figure re-rates the invoice — subject to the 110% rule at delivery.
What it prices: Density, which varies with what you happen to own.
How it goes wrong: A “weight” that is really cubic feet multiplied by an assumed pounds-per-cubic-foot factor. That is a conversion, not a measurement, and no scale ever touched it.

Weight is what interstate tariffs are built on, and the scale ticket is evidence you can demand. Its weakness is timing: you learn the number after your goods are already on the truck.

The one to actually refuse

Watch for an estimate that states a weight but was never going to be weighed — a cubic-foot figure multiplied by an assumed pounds-per-cubic-foot factor, then printed as though a scale produced it. That is a conversion wearing the clothes of a measurement. Ask which it is, and ask to see either the inventory or the scale ticket that produced it.^5,7

The same box, four times

One 18 × 18 × 16 in medium carton — 3.0 cubic feet in every case. Representative full weights, shown to illustrate the spread.

42 lbs
Books and records
Hardbacks, files, vinyl
28 lbs
Kitchen, packed
Crockery, pans, small appliances
17 lbs
Toys and shoes
Mixed household goods
7 lbs
Linens and pillows
Bedding, towels, coats

Volume is identical across all four. Weight varies by a factor of nearly 6. A quote priced on assumed weight has to guess which of these four your sixty boxes are — and a quote priced on volume has to be backed by a list showing that there are sixty of them.

“Standard” sizes are not standard

Representative range across mainstream manufacturers and types for one nominal item.

King mattress24–46 cu ft: Standard king, California king and split king differ in footprint, and profiles run from 8 to 18 inches thick. Same word, twice the volume.
Three-seat sofa42–78 cu ft: Depth and arm style drive it. A tight-back apartment sofa and a deep sectional segment share a category and nothing else.
Refrigerator22–44 cu ft: Top-freezer against French-door counter-depth. The nameplate capacity is the inside, not the crate.
Medium carton3.0 cu ft: The one item that genuinely does not vary — which is why it can weigh anywhere from 7 to 42 lbs.

A king mattress is a category, not a dimension. This is why an estimate built from a list of item names, rather than from measurements taken in the room, drifts — whichever unit it is priced in. Measure the one in the room and the argument ends there.

Cubic feet by home size

Representative volumes for a self-packed household. Use them as a sanity check on any estimate you are handed, in either unit.

Representative cubic feet by home size, and the share of a 26-foot truck each occupies.
Home size	Cubic feet	Share of a 26 ft truck
Studio	300 – 450	26%
1 bedroom	450 – 700	41%
2 bedrooms	700 – 1,100	65%
3 bedrooms	1,100 – 1,500	88%
4+ bedrooms	1,500 – 2,200	129%

If a mover puts 600 cu ft on the estimate for a three-bedroom house, the number is wrong and the price will change later. Share is calculated against the top of each range.

What fits in a 26-foot truck

Usable cargo volume 1,700 cu ft · payload capacity about 10,000 lbs · 26 ft long, 8 ft wide, 8 ft 2 in high

Check the price for your volume →

26 ft cargo box · 1,700 cu ftLoaded floor to ceiling

Bedrooms520 cu ft

Living room390 cu ft

Cartons330 cu ft

Kitchen210 cu ft

Garage150 cu ft

Spare100 cu ft

Fills at roughly 1,600 cu ft — a full 3 to 4 bedroom home

1,700 cu ftUsable cargo volume of a 26 ft box truck
566 cartonsMedium 3.0 cu ft boxes needed to fill it
~6,800 lbsTypical weight of a full household load inside it
68%Share of legal payload used when the space runs out

A 26-foot truck runs out of space long before it runs out of payload. On a typical household load the trailer is full at roughly two-thirds of its legal weight capacity — which is why the space you occupy matters as much to the carrier as the pounds you weigh.

How it works

An interstate move, start to finish

Eight weeks is a comfortable runway; four is workable. The dates that matter most are the survey and the delivery spread — everything else follows from them.

Start with your price →

8 weeks out
Set your benchmark and shortlist
Check the audited range for your route, then shortlist three licensed carriers. Verify each USDOT number on the FMCSA register and confirm the company owns trucks rather than reselling loads.
6–7 weeks
Book surveys
In-home or video surveys produce a real weight estimate. A quote given without one is a placeholder and will be re-rated later, almost always upward.
5 weeks
Compare written estimates
Compare like for like: binding or not, weight or cubic feet, which accessorials are listed, and where the fuel surcharge sits. A cheaper headline with fewer line items is usually the more expensive move.
4 weeks
Sign and lock your dates
Confirm the pickup date and the delivery spread in writing, plus your valuation election. Deposits above 20% of the estimate are a warning sign, and cash or wire demands are a reason to walk.
2–3 weeks
Declutter and document
Every pound you do not ship is money back on a per-pound tariff. Photograph high-value items and log serial numbers before anything is boxed.
Move week
Pickup and bill of lading
Read the bill of lading before signing. It is the contract — the estimate is not. Check that the inventory matches what actually leaves the house, and note any pre-existing damage yourself.
Delivery day
Inspect, then pay
Note damage on the inventory before you sign for delivery. On a non-binding estimate you owe at most 110% of the estimated charges at that moment; the balance is billed afterwards.

The one word that matters

Binding, non-binding, or not-to-exceed

Federal rules let a mover write your estimate three different ways. Which one appears on your paperwork decides whether the number you agreed to can change after the truck is loaded.^2,3,4

Safest

Binding estimate

A fixed price for the shipment and services listed. If the actual weight comes in higher, the price does not change.

On delivery day: you pay the agreed figure.

Best of both

Binding not-to-exceed

A ceiling, not a floor. If the shipment weighs less than estimated, you pay the lower actual charges.

On delivery day: you pay the lower of the two.

Highest risk

Non-binding estimate

An educated guess. Final charges are calculated from actual weight and services at the tariff rate — and can legitimately exceed the estimate.

On delivery day: at most 110% is due; the rest is billed after.

The 110% rule

On a non-binding, collect-on-delivery shipment, if you pay up to 110% of the estimated charges the carrier must relinquish possession of your goods at delivery. Anything above that is billed afterwards.⁴ A mover holding your belongings on the truck for a larger payment is acting outside the rule — and it is the most common form of moving fraud reported to us.

Report a mover holding a shipment →

Valuation

What your mover owes you if something breaks

Valuation is not insurance. Every interstate move includes one level of liability for free, and it is far lower than most households assume: 60 cents per pound, per article. A 40-pound television is worth $24 under it.^7,8

Released value Free: 60¢ per pound per article. A 40-lb television pays out $24, regardless of what it cost.
Full value protection 1–2% of declared value: The mover must repair, replace or pay the cash settlement for a lost or damaged item. Deductibles lower the premium.
Third-party insurance Varies by policy: Bought separately from an insurer, not the mover. Read what it excludes — owner-packed cartons usually are.

Complaint exposure by who you hire

Relative, not a rate: the ordering of complaint risk by the type of company a household hired, from USMPO complaints received.

USMPO-audited carrierLowest
Licensed carrier, unauditedLow
Broker-arranged moveElevated
Unlicensed operatorHighest

Brokers do not own trucks. They resell your move to whichever carrier accepts the load, which is why the estimate you signed and the crew that arrives often have no relationship. Check any company's USDOT number on the FMCSA register to see whether it holds carrier or broker authority.

What overcharges are billed for

The charges that most often turn a quoted price into a larger invoice, in the order they appear in disputes reported to USMPO.

1Accessorials not on the estimateStairs, long carry, shuttle and crating appearing for the first time on delivery day.
2Reweigh above the estimated weightA non-binding estimate re-rated against a heavier actual weight.
3Shuttle fee at destinationCharged when the linehaul trailer cannot reach the door.
4Packing materials billed per cartonCartons and materials billed by the unit rather than included.
5Storage-in-transit after a missed windowWarehouse charges accruing when delivery slips past the agreed spread.

Benchmarks by route

The most-moved long-distance routes

Ranges below are for a 2-bedroom shipment of about 5,000 lbs, self-pack, off-peak. Use the price checker to load your own ZIP codes and home size.

Updated weekly · last 2 August 2026

Benchmark price ranges and transit spreads for the most-moved long-distance routes.
Route	Distance	2-bedroom range	Transit
New York, NY → Miami, FL	1,280 mi	$4,100 – $5,500	4–8 days
Los Angeles, CA → Austin, TX	1,380 mi	$4,250 – $5,700	5–9 days
Chicago, IL → Phoenix, AZ	1,750 mi	$4,700 – $6,300	6–10 days
New York, NY → Los Angeles, CA	2,790 mi	$5,600 – $7,400	7–14 days
San Francisco, CA → Seattle, WA	810 mi	$3,500 – $4,600	3–6 days
Boston, MA → Raleigh, NC	710 mi	$3,350 – $4,400	3–6 days
Denver, CO → Nashville, TN	1,160 mi	$3,950 – $5,250	4–8 days
Philadelphia, PA → Atlanta, GA	780 mi	$3,450 – $4,550	3–7 days
Portland, OR → Las Vegas, NV	980 mi	$3,700 – $4,900	4–7 days
Seattle, WA → Chicago, IL	2,060 mi	$5,000 – $6,700	6–12 days
Houston, TX → Denver, CO	1,030 mi	$3,750 – $4,950	4–8 days
Atlanta, GA → Dallas, TX	780 mi	$3,450 – $4,550	3–7 days

Ranges are 20th–80th percentile, self-pack, off-peak. Transit is the carrier's delivery spread, not a guaranteed date.

Your route is not on the list?

The checker prices any interstate route from ZIP to ZIP using the same audited filings.

Check your route →

Who you are actually hiring

Carrier, broker, or rental: the three ways to move

Most long-distance moving decisions come down to who carries the liability. The cheaper the headline, the more of it sits with you.

Comparison of full-service carriers, brokers, moving containers and rental trucks.
	Licensed carrier	Broker	Moving container	Rental truck
Typical 2-bed, 1,200 mi	$4,200–$5,600	Carrier rate + 15–30%	Priced outside the federal tariff — not benchmarked by USMPO
Who loads	Carrier crew	Whichever carrier accepts the load	You, or hired labour	You
Priced from a federal tariff	Yes	Yes, at the performing carrier's tariff	No	No
Liability for damage	Carrier, at your valuation election	Performing carrier, not the broker	You, unless you buy content cover	You
110% rule applies	Yes	Yes	No	No
Complaint exposure	Lowest when audited	Elevated	Not a federally registered household-goods mover
Where to check them first	FMCSA SAFER register — authority type and insurance¹²		No federal register of operators

Moving containers and rental trucks are not regulated as household-goods carriers and are not priced from a federal tariff, so USMPO publishes no benchmark for them and the protections described on this page — the 110% rule, valuation, arbitration — do not apply. They can be cheaper on paper, but you carry the loading labour and the liability for everything that breaks.

Red flags

Eight signs the quote in your inbox is a lowball

Bait-and-switch moves follow a pattern, and it starts before you sign. Any two of these together is reason enough to walk away.

A quote given over the phone or by email with no survey of what you actually own.
The price is well below every other quote you received on the same route.
A deposit above 20% of the estimate, or payment demanded by cash, wire or gift card.
The estimate is priced by cubic feet with no itemized inventory attached, or states a weight that was converted from cubic feet rather than weighed.
No USDOT number on the paperwork, or a number registered to a different company name.
The company answers the phone as “movers” or “relocation services” rather than by its legal name.
You are asked to sign blank or incomplete documents, including the bill of lading.
No physical address, or an address that appears under several different moving brands.

Your rights

What federal rules already guarantee you

Any interstate mover must be registered with the FMCSA and carry a USDOT number. These protections apply whether or not your mover mentions them.¹

A written estimate before pickup^6,7: Interstate movers must provide one, and must give you the federal booklet Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move — as a copy or a link — when the estimate is provided.
The 110% rule^4,3: On a non-binding, collect-on-delivery shipment, pay up to 110% of the estimated charges and the carrier must relinquish possession. Anything beyond that is billed after delivery.
A reweigh on request⁷: You may require that the shipment be reweighed before unloading, at no charge, and be billed on the reweighed figure.
A window to file a claim^8,10: Your bill of lading must allow at least nine months to file a loss or damage claim, and the carrier must acknowledge it in writing.
Arbitration on disputes⁹: Every registered mover must offer neutral arbitration. For claims of $10,000 or less you can compel it, and you may not be charged more than half the cost of bringing it.
A carrier that is who it says it is¹²: Operating authority, carrier-versus-broker status and insurance on file are all public. Check the USDOT number before you sign, not after.

Check your price first

Then verify any mover's USDOT number before you sign.

Before you sign

Twelve questions for every mover you speak to

Tick them off as you go. A licensed carrier answers all twelve without hesitating; a broker reselling your move will deflect at least four.

1What is your USDOT and MC number, and is it registered to this company name?
2Are you the carrier performing the move, or a broker arranging it?
3Will you survey my home in person or by video before quoting?
4Is this estimate binding, not-to-exceed, or non-binding?
5Is the price based on weight or cubic feet, and can I see the inventory or scale ticket behind it?
6Which accessorial charges could apply, and at what rates?
7Is a shuttle likely at either address, and what would it cost?
8What is the fuel surcharge, and is it shown on the estimate?
9What is my delivery window, and what happens if you miss it?
10What valuation coverage is included, and what does full value cost?
11What deposit do you require, and how is payment taken?
12Will the crew loading my goods be your employees or subcontractors?

Questions

Long-distance moving, answered

The questions households ask us most, in the order they usually come up.

What counts as a long-distance move?

Any move that crosses state lines, or one over roughly 400 miles within a single state. Interstate moves are regulated federally by the FMCSA and priced from a published tariff; intrastate moves follow state rules and are often billed hourly. This page covers interstate long-distance moving.

How much does long distance moving cost in 2026?

Most long-distance moves settle between $2,800 and $12,000. A 2-bedroom home of about 5,000 lbs moving 1,000 to 1,500 miles, packing itself, off-peak, benchmarks between $4,200 and $5,600. Studios on short interstate hops start around $2,800; four-bedroom coast-to-coast moves with full packing regularly pass $12,000. USMPO does not publish a long-distance benchmark below $2,800, because a figure under it is characteristic of an intrastate move mislabelled as long-distance, or of a bait quote that gets re-rated upward after loading.

How far ahead should I book a long-distance mover?

Eight weeks is a comfortable runway and four is workable. Booking inside two weeks in June or July narrows you to whoever has a truck free, which is the worst position from which to negotiate. Off-peak, three to four weeks is usually enough to run surveys with three carriers and compare written estimates properly.

Why do quotes for the same move differ by thousands?

Three reasons, in order of size. First, weight: a quote given without a survey is a guess, and guesses skew low to win the booking. Second, what is included: one estimate may carry packing, valuation, shuttle and stair fees as line items while another omits them until move day. Third, who is quoting: a broker adds a 15–30% commission on top of the carrier's rate. Compare the line items, not the headline.

Is a moving broker a problem?

Brokers are legal, federally registered, and some are competent, but they do not own trucks. They resell your move to whichever carrier accepts the load, which is why the company you signed with and the crew that arrives often have no relationship. Broker-arranged moves are consistently over-represented in the complaints USMPO receives relative to moves booked directly with an audited carrier. Ask directly whether the company holds carrier authority or broker authority, get the answer in writing, and confirm it yourself on the FMCSA SAFER register — the authority type is shown there.

Can the price legally change after my goods are loaded?

It depends entirely on which estimate type you signed. A binding estimate is a fixed price for the shipment and services listed, and does not change if the actual weight comes in higher. A binding not-to-exceed estimate is a ceiling: if the shipment weighs less than estimated, you pay the lower actual charges. A non-binding estimate can legitimately rise, because final charges are calculated from actual weight and services at the tariff rate — but the mover may not require more than 110% of the estimate before unloading.

How long will delivery take on a long-distance move?

Carriers quote a delivery spread, not a date. Typical spreads run 3 to 6 days under 1,000 miles, 4 to 10 days from 1,000 to 2,000 miles, and 7 to 14 days coast to coast. Your goods usually share a trailer with other shipments, and the spread is what lets the carrier consolidate. A guaranteed delivery date is available on most tariffs and carries a premium of roughly 10 to 25%.

Should I buy full value protection?

Every interstate move includes released-value protection free, which pays 60 cents per pound per article. A 40-pound television pays out $24 under it regardless of what the television cost. Full value protection obliges the mover to repair, replace or pay the cash settlement for a lost or damaged item, and is priced at roughly 1 to 2% of your declared value, less if you accept a deductible. If your shipment contains more than a few thousand dollars of electronics, instruments or antiques, the arithmetic favours full value.

How much does it cost to ship a car with my move?

Auto transport is a separate contract with its own rate, typically $900 to $1,700 per vehicle depending on distance, whether the carrier is open or enclosed, and whether the vehicle runs. It is not included in the household-goods benchmarks on this page. Ask for it as a separate written line rather than folded into the move total.

Are tips expected on a long-distance move?

Tipping is customary but not obligatory, and it is not a line item on any tariff. Households that tip commonly give $20 to $50 per crew member per day at each end, adjusted for stairs, long carries and the care taken. Loading and delivery are usually different crews, so budget for both.

How do I check a moving company before I sign?

Take the USDOT number from the estimate and look it up on the FMCSA register. Confirm the legal name matches the company you spoke to, that the operating authority is active, that it is carrier authority rather than broker authority if they claimed to be a carrier, and that insurance is on file. Then check the complaint history. Four minutes of verification eliminates most of the risk on a long-distance move.

What is the cheapest way to move long distance?

In order of saving: move off-peak, mid-month and mid-week rather than at the end of June; ship less weight, since the tariff is per pound; pack yourself, which captures 18 to 24% of a full-service bill; and accept a wide delivery spread rather than a guaranteed date. Moving containers and rental trucks are cheaper still on paper, but you carry the loading labour and the liability, and neither is priced from a federal tariff.

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Sources & methodology

Where every figure on this page comes from

Two kinds of claim appear above, and they are sourced differently. Rules and consumer protections trace to the federal regulations and statutes listed below. Prices are USMPO benchmarks: our own derivation from carrier tariff filings, published so you have something to measure a quote against.

How the price benchmarks are built

Source. Carriers audited into the USMPO network act as data partners, sharing what they quoted and what they finally billed. Full detail of how a carrier gets there is in Where this pricing data comes from.
Weight. A shipment weight is assigned to each home size from published industry weight tables by room count. Your actual weight is what your invoice is built on, which is why a survey matters.
Distance and services. Pricing is grouped into the mileage bands carriers themselves use, since per-pound rates step down as haul lengthens. Packing is modelled as an uplift of 18–24%.
Range. Published as a 20th–80th percentile band rather than a point estimate, so four moves in five fall inside it. Every published figure is floored at $2,800.

What these numbers are not. They are not a survey, and no sample size is claimed for them. They are not a quote: only a licensed carrier can issue a binding estimate, and only after a visual or video survey of your goods. Where this page describes complaint patterns, the ordering reflects complaints reported to USMPO and is presented as relative rather than as a measured rate.

1
49 CFR Part 375 — Transportation of Household Goods in Interstate Commerce; Consumer Protection Regulations
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
The rulebook for every interstate household-goods move: estimates, paperwork, weighing, delivery and charges.
2
49 CFR § 375.403 — How must I provide a binding estimate?
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
What a binding estimate is and what it must contain.
3
49 CFR § 375.405 — How must I provide a non-binding estimate?
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Non-binding estimates must state that they are not binding, that charges are approximate, and that no more than 110% is payable at delivery.
4
49 CFR § 375.407 — Under what circumstances must I relinquish possession of a collect-on-delivery shipment transported under a non-binding estimate?
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
The 110% rule. Pay up to 110% of a non-binding estimate and the carrier must hand over your shipment; the balance is billed after delivery.
5
49 CFR § 375.409 — May household goods brokers provide estimates?
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
The conditions under which a broker, rather than a carrier, may issue an estimate.
6
49 CFR § 375.213 — What information must I provide to a prospective individual shipper?
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
The mover must give you the federal rights booklet, as a copy or a link, when the estimate is provided.
7
Appendix A to 49 CFR Part 375 — Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move (FMCSA-ESA-03-006)
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
The consumer booklet: released value at 60 cents per pound per article, full value protection, reweigh rights, delivery windows and claims.
8
49 U.S.C. § 14706 — Liability of carriers under receipts and bills of lading (the Carmack Amendment)
Office of the Law Revision Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives
Carrier liability for loss and damage, and the minimum period a carrier must allow for filing a claim.
9
49 U.S.C. § 14708 — Dispute settlement program for household goods carriers
Office of the Law Revision Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives
Every household-goods carrier must offer neutral arbitration. For claims of $10,000 or less the shipper may compel it, and may not be charged more than half the filing cost.
10
49 CFR Part 370 — Principles and Practices for the Investigation and Voluntary Disposition of Loss and Damage Claims
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
How a carrier must acknowledge, investigate and dispose of a loss or damage claim.
11
National Consumer Complaint Database — FMCSA National Consumer Complaint Database (NCCDB)
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Where a household files a federal complaint against an interstate mover or broker.
12
SAFER Company Snapshot — Safety and Fitness Electronic Records — Company Snapshot
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
The public register for checking a USDOT number, legal name, operating authority, carrier-versus-broker status and insurance on file.

About USMPO. The United States Moving Protection Organization is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We are not affiliated with any moving company, broker or van line, we take no commission on any move, and we do not sell consumer details to lead brokers. Page last reviewed 2 August 2026. Found an error in a figure or a citation? Tell us and we will correct it.